School: Ráthdubháin (roll number 9385)

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1. Old Houses

   

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   The chief kind of houses occupied by the people in this district in former times consisted of mud walls. The houses were all single storey and the walls were generally only six to seven feet in height. The roof was usually thatched with rushes and reed. The roof consisted of trees which were brought from the nearest wood. The thatch as it was called was then placed over these trees. In many instances especially in the case of poor people this thatch consisted of heath which was pulled in the mountain for the purpose. Old people tell us that it was quite usual in the old labourer's houses to have the chimney in one end and the beds in the other end of the house. The beds were usually kept beside the windows of the house and were usually kept in the kitchen because in most cases the house only consisted of one room.
   There were never more than two windows in these houses one in the front and another in the back.
   The beds used at

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. objects
      1. man-made structures
         1. buildings
            1. residential buildings (~2,723)

   Language

   English

   Informant

   John Long

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Knocknaloman, Co. Cork